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from savagery to deeper savagery。 On the scurvy…rotten ships of the fur…
thieves； out of food and out of water； buffeted by the interminable storms
of that stormy sea； men had become animals。 Thrice he had sailed east
from Kamtchatka。 And thrice； after all manner of hardship and suffering；
the survivors had come back to Kamtchatka。 There had been no outlet
for escape； and he could not go back the way he had come； for the mines
and the knout awaited him。
Again； the fourth and last time； he had sailed east。 He had been with
those who first found the fabled Seal Islands； but he had not returned with
them to share the wealth of furs in the mad orgies of Kamtchatka。 He
had sworn never to go back。 He knew that to win to those dear capitals
of Europe he must go on。 So he had changed ships and remained in the
dark new land。 His comrades were Slavonian hunters and Russian
adventurers； Mongols and Tartars and Siberian aborigines； and through the
savages of the new world they had cut a path of blood。 They had
massacred whole villages that refused to furnish the fur…tribute； and they；
in turn； had been massacred by ships' companies。 He； with one Finn； had
been the sole survivor of such a company。 They had spent a winter of
solitude and starvation on a lonely Aleutian isle； and their rescue in the
spring by another fur…ship had been one chance in a thousand。
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But always the terrible savagery had hemmed him in。 Passing from
ship to ship； and ever refusing to return； he had come to the ship that
explored south。 All down the Alaska coast they had encountered nothing
but hosts of savages。 Every anchorage among the beetling islands or
under the frowning cliffs of the mainland had meant a battle or a storm。
Either the gales blew； threatening destruction； or the war canoes came off；
manned by howling natives with the war… paint on their faces； who came
to learn the bloody virtues of the sea…rovers' gunpowder。 South； south
they had coasted； clear to the myth…land of California。 Here； it was said；
were Spanish adventurers who had fought their way up from Mexico。 He
had had hopes of those Spanish adventurers。 Escaping to them； the rest
would have been easya year or two； what did it matter more or lessand
he would win to Mexico； then a ship； and Europe would be his。 But they
had met no Spaniards。 Only had they encountered the same impregnable
wall of savagery。 The denizens of the confines of the world； painted for
war； had driven them back from the shores。 At last； when one boat was
cut off and every man killed； the commander had abandoned the quest and
sailed back to the north。
The years had passed。 He had served under Tebenkoff when
Michaelovski Redoubt was built。 He had spent two years in the
Kuskokwim country。 Two summers； in the month of June； he had
managed to be at the head of Kotzebue Sound。 Here； at this time； the
tribes assembled for barter； here were to be found spotted deerskins from
Siberia； ivory from the Diomedes； walrus skins from the shores of the
Arctic； strange stone lamps； passing in trade from tribe to tribe； no one
knew whence； and； once； a hunting…knife of English make； and here；
Subienkow knew； was the school in which to learn geography。 For he met
Eskimos from Norton Sound； from King Island and St。 Lawrence Island；
from Cape Prince of Wales； and Point Barrow。 Such places had other
names； and their distances were measured in days。
It was a vast region these trading savages came from； and a vaster
region from which； by repeated trade； their stone lamps and that steel knife
had come。 Subienkow bullied； and cajoled； and bribed。 Every far…
journeyer or strange tribesman was brought before him。 Perils
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unaccountable and unthinkable were mentioned； as well as wild beasts；
hostile tribes； impenetrable forests； and mighty mountain ranges； but
always from beyond came the rumour and the tale of white… skinned men；
blue of eye and fair of hair； who fought like devils and who sought always
for furs。 They were to the eastfar； far to the east。 No one had seen
them。 It was the word that had been passed along。
It was a hard school。 One could not learn geography very well
through the medium of strange dialects； from dark minds that mingled fact
and fable and that measured distances by 〃sleeps〃 that varied according to
the difficulty of the going。 But at last came the whisper that gave
Subienkow courage。 In the east lay a great river where were these blue…
eyed men。 The river was called the Yukon。 South of Michaelovski
Redoubt emptied another great river which the Russians knew as the
Kwikpak。 These two rivers were one； ran the whisper。
Subienkow returned to Michaelovski。 For a year he urged an
expedition up the Kwikpak。 Then arose Malakoff； the Russian half…
breed； to lead the wildest and most ferocious of the hell's broth of mongrel
adventurers who had crossed from Kamtchatka。 Subienkow was his
lieutenant。 They threaded the mazes of the great delta of the Kwikpak；
picked up the first low hills on the northern bank； and for half a thousand
miles； in skin canoes loaded to the gunwales with trade…goods and
ammunition； fought their way against the five…knot current of a river that
ran from two to ten miles wide in a channel many fathoms deep。
Malakoff decided to build the fort at Nulato。 Subienkow urged to go
farther。 But he quickly reconciled himself to Nulato。 The long winter
was coming on。 It would be better to wait。 Early the following summer；
when the ice was gone； he would disappear up the Kwikpak and work his
way to the Hudson Bay Company's posts。 Malakoff had never heard the